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matteroftaste
Vince
Quick update on this unusual french 80's carbon prototype frame...
This comes from a guy whose brother used to work (he passed away) in the R&D department at Motobecane in the late 70's then MBK in the mid 80's.
It is a MBK carbon/TVT prototype (when they were trying to do what TVT / Vitus were doing with carbon tubes and metal lugs back in the late 80's ).
Based on the info I have, it is tubes in Verre Tissé - 'tubes in knitted glass'. Similar to the TVT original frames made in the early 80s which were called "TCT"
Unusual as the lugs are steel and not alloy. 3 carbon/glass main tubes , the rear triangle is steel.
BB shell has P stamped on an some other indecipherable text which would be readable if the paint was stripped.
Forks are alloy with the legs painted black to match the frame - they look like Kinesis ones.
Frame measurements is 55cm TT and 54.5cm ST.
Gearing is 2 x 8 speeds
Equipment is a mix of Shimano 600 (6400 Headset, seatpost, FD, RD) and Shimano 105 (5500 chainset, SLR brakeset, shifters).
New SRAM 8 speed cassette & lightly used Bontrager wheelset.
Did the maiden voyage this morning and this is a really lovely frame which rides really well!